OUR STORY
Respect for the hands behind every thread.
Una Hebra sources Wayuu mochila bags from La Guajira, Colombia, with a focus on the refined single-thread weaving technique.
The Wayuu and La Guajira
The Wayuu are an Indigenous people living primarily across the desert peninsula of northern Colombia and Venezuela. For generations, Wayuu women have passed weaving patterns and techniques from mother to daughter.
Read our introduction to the Wayuu →
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE WAYUU PEOPLE
Credit the culture. Respect the work. Tell the truth.
We recognize the Wayuu people as the originators and cultural stewards of the weaving tradition at the heart of Una Hebra. We commit to crediting that origin wherever we tell these stories, paying for the finished work we source, and never presenting Wayuu culture, symbols, or creative knowledge as our own.
We will be transparent about what we know, avoid impact claims we cannot document, and correct our language when we learn better. As the business grows, we intend to grow the amount of artisan work we purchase and build longer-lasting sourcing relationships rooted in respect.
A purchase is commerce, not charity. Our responsibility is to make that commerce honest: acknowledge where the work comes from, value the labor behind it, and help sustain demand without erasing the people who carry the tradition forward.
What a purchase supports
Every piece begins as paid handwork in Colombia. Our purchases create demand for finished work and recognize the time and skill held in every weave. We are committed to describing those relationships honestly and to increasing the amount of artisan work we purchase as Una Hebra grows.
Una hebra
Unlike faster two-thread construction, single-thread weaving produces a tighter, smoother surface and demands more time. We celebrate that patience and the individuality of every handmade piece.
